RUC suspicions that vital forensic evidence indicating a possible “firing point” for the Narrow Water bombing was destroyed by members of the Garda was disputed at the Smithwick Tribunal yesterday.

Two bombs were detonated at Narrow Water near Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland in August 1979.

They resulted in the largest single loss of life to the British army in the Troubles.

Eighteen soldiers and one tourist were killed and it was believed the bomb was detonated from across Carlingford Lough in the Republic. Former Garda forensic expert Det Sgt Patrick Ennis, who spent 30 years in the ballistics section, said gardaí had followed proper procedures during their search for evidence and had even visited each others’ forensic laboratories.

Mr Ennis said he searched the suspected sites where the IRA members were supposed to have hidden and had personally removed the forensic evidence for analysis.